Cooking in winter: There's a payoff for patience

Cooking in winter demands patience to soften sturdy roots into smooth mashes, patience to allow vinegar to penetrate and pickle and preserve, patience for a tough piece of meat to break down so that you can slice it - even if you don't have a knife.

The required patience is also why I love being in my kitchen this time of year: I get to really cook. Whereas in summer I can just slice a tomato and sprinkle it with salt, maybe throw a fresh ear of corn in some hot water and call it a day, winter kitchens demand more. And responding to this demand means rolling up our sleeves and being resourceful and creative. We get to turn hearty ingredients into comforting meals, get to fog our kitchen windows with steam from our pots and get to gather the people we love around our tables.

The five ingredients that inspire these recipes are celery root, turnips, mustard greens, citrus and chuck roast. Each ingredient lends itself to a variety of dishes, all made memorable by combining them with flavorful accents. They remind us that cooking in winter is in many ways like cooking at any other time of year: You need bursts of salt and acid - such as miso paste and punchy anchovies, vinegar and briny olives — to wake things up.

Celery root

I love celery root (also known as celeriac) because it has such a distinctive flavor, not unlike a parsnip, and it can be enjoyed in so many different ways. But its gnarly look makes it a little intimidating. Remember: The roots come in such a variety of sizes, so it's best to use the scale at the grocery store to make sure you are purchasing according to your needs and chosen recipe. Use a sharp knife to peel away the brown, craggy outside, and then go in any direction you want.

Enjoy the root raw: Slice it into thin matchsticks and dress with a creamy dressing for the traditional French salad known as remoulade. I offer a version with a creamy anchovy dressing because the Caesar-like flavor complements the root so well. Or simmer pieces of celery root with sauteed onions and puree with vegetable broth and creamy coconut milk for a smooth, vegan soup. You could spice the onions with turmeric and ground coriander seed for extra flavor and color. When it's very cold outside, though, my favorite way to enjoy celery root is to slice it thin and layer it with grated cheese and garlicky cream and bake the layers to form a decadent gratin that could be a meal on its own alongside a salad and a bottle of wine.

Celery Root, Chive + Cheddar Gratin

4 to 6 servings

Rich with cream and cheddar, this gratin uses celery root (celeriac) instead of the traditional potato.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use the butter to grease an 8-inch-square baking dish.

Whisk together the heavy cream, garlic, salt (to taste), pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.

Arrange a third of the celery root slices in an even layer in the baking dish. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese, a third of the chives and then evenly pour in a third of the cream mixture. Repeat the process two more times.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake (middle rack) for 45 minutes, or until the celery root is starting to get tender (test it with the tip of a paring knife).

Uncover and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the celery root is completely tender and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.

The flavor of celery root shines through in this ultrasmooth, rich-tasting, dairy-free soup.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt

One 1-pound celery root, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 cups no-salt added vegetable broth or water

One 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (full- or low-fat)

Unsweetened, toasted coconut flakes, for garnish (optional)

Steps

Combine the oil and onion in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook gently until soft and translucent; do not let the onion brown. Add the garlic and season generously with salt.

Stir in the celery root, the broth or water, the coconut milk and a teaspoon of salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, until the celery root is very soft.

Puree using an immersion (stick) blender or regular blender until smooth. (If using the latter, remove the center knob of the lid and place a paper towel over the opening, to let steam escape and avoid splash-ups.) Taste and add more salt, as needed.

Try this tangy, crunchy classic side instead of potatoes the next time you serve a simple roast chicken.

Ingredients

4 anchovy fillets

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup crème fraîche (may substitute sour cream or mayonnaise)

Freshly ground black pepper

One 1-pound celery root, peeled and cut into matchsticks

Finely chopped parsley or celery leaves

Steps

Use a fork to mash the anchovies into a paste in a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, mustard and a pinch of salt, whisking to incorporate. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil and then whisk in the crème fraîche, to form a thickened dressing. Season lightly with salt and pepper. The yield is about 1 cup.

Add the celery root and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with parsley or fresh celery leaves and serve.

This is another reliable root worth keeping in your repertoire. With a sweet but also sometimes bitter flavor, these roots too often turn up (sorry) eaters' noses because their flavor is typically boiled away and not embraced. To celebrate them, try skipping cooking altogether and just quick-pickling pieces in a caraway-heavy brine. These pickles are such a bright and crunchy delight and offer a nice counterpoint to something rich like corned beef and cabbage or any braised meat. Also try serving them in (or next to) your favorite sandwich. They're equally at home with pastrami as with falafel. To turn the pickles a beautiful shade of pink, add a few pieces of raw beet to the pickling liquid.

Turnips come in many shapes and sizes. The small Japanese ones are particularly delicate and are especially lovely when steamed and then tossed with a mixture of one part miso paste and two parts butter. Serve with broiled fish and some rice. And if you're fortunate enough to find fresh turnips at your farmers market or grocery store with their sturdy greens still attached, know you're lucky. Turnip greens can be prepared like collards, kale or any other cooking green. I say keep them with their roots and make a turnip version of the Irish mash known as colcannon (which folds cabbage into potatoes) and mash the turnips with their greens. A little butter and cream go a long way.

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Quick-Pickled Turnips With Caraway

6 to 8 servings (makes 4 cups)

This brine can be used for any crunchy vegetable (carrots, fennel, etc.), but the combination of turnips and caraway is particularly lovely. Add a peeled, sliced beet to the mixture, if you'd like your turnips colored pink.

In testing, we made the sticks long, but you can cut them to any length.

Make ahead: The turnips need to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to 1 week.

Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and caraway seed in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then turn off the heat.

Place the turnips in a heatproof quart jar, then pour in the hot vinegar mixture; adjust the turnips to make sure they are completely submerged. Cool to room temperature, then seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.

Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.

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Steamed Turnips With Miso + Butter

4 servings

This is a slightly more refined, flavorful version of an old standby - turnips mashed with butter.

The recipe calls for small Japanese turnips because they don't need peeling. But if you can't find them, peel regular turnips and then cut them into bite-size pieces.

Ingredients

1 pound small Japanese turnips, greens trimmed (see headnote)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons white miso

Freshly ground black pepper

Steps

Place the turnips in a steamer basket set over a pot with several inches of bubbling water (medium heat). Cover and steam until tender, 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the butter and miso in a mixing bowl.

Add the steamed turnips to the bowl while they're hot and toss well to coat; the hot vegetables will help the butter melt. Season lightly with pepper and serve right away.

This makes a nice, low-carb change from potatoes. Instead of the traditional cabbage or kale, the greens from the turnips are used.

The greens are sometimes sold separately, so look for them if they are not attached to the turnips.

Ingredients

One large bunch turnips with greens attached (about 4 turnips; see headnote)

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Steps

Separate the turnips from their greens. Rinse the greens well, then coarsely chop them. Peel the turnips, then coarsely chop them.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add a generous pinch or two of salt. Add the turnips and cook (uncovered) for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are soft. Add the greens to the pot; cook for about 3 minutes; by this time the turnips should be quite soft and the greens should be bright green and tender.

Drain the turnips and greens in a colander and then return to the empty pot (off the heat). Add the butter and heavy cream, then use a potato masher to crush everything together. Season lightly with salt and serve hot.

They're one of the most flavorful vegetables available all winter. I like to blanch them before I continue cooking them in other ways, taming their bite and also making the large bunches more manageable. Sauteed with minced garlic, cumin seeds and mustard seeds, the greens get a double dose of mustard. Note that you could add a quart of chicken or vegetable broth to these and a can of cooked chickpeas and enjoy a beautiful soup. Or skip the spices and top the garlicky greens with ricotta and mozzarella and broil to achieve the appeal of white pizza.

You can also blitz the blanched greens with pecans and garlic and then enough olive oil to turn the mixture into a pesto to top whole baked sweet potatoes that you've split down the middle. Or spoon it on top of eggs, spread thickly on toast, or swirl into a pot of polenta or cooked pasta.

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Mustard Greens With Cumin + Mustard Seed

4 servings, Healthy

Mustard-on-mustard, these greens combine the sharp bite of mustard greens with the pop of mustard seeds. Serve with steamed rice and fried or poached eggs for a lovely vegetarian meal.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the greens and cook for 1 minute, just until bright green and tender. Drain the greens in a colander and let cool to room temperature (or rinse with cool water to speed things along). Squeeze the greens with your hands to remove excess water.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over high heat. Add the garlic, cumin seed and mustard seed; cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until they're sizzling and fragrant.

Add the blanched and chopped greens, stirring to incorporate. Sprinkle the greens with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the greens are hot and infused with the fragrant oil. Taste and season the greens with more salt, as needed, and then serve right away.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the greens and cook for 1 minute, just until bright green and tender. Drain the greens in a colander and let cool to room temperature (or rinse with cool water to speed things along). Squeeze the greens with your hands to remove excess water.

Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiling element; preheat the broiler.

Combine the oil and garlic in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Once they are heated through, add the greens and stir to coat and warm through.

Top the softened, garlicky greens with a few dollops of ricotta cheese and the mozzarella cheese and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Sprinkle with the crushed red pepper flakes (to taste) just before serving straight from the skillet.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the greens and cook for 1 minute, just until bright green and tender. Drain the greens in a colander and let cool to room temperature (or rinse with cool water to speed things along). Squeeze the greens with your hands to remove excess water.

Place in a food processor with the pecans and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped, then add the oil and a teaspoon of the salt; pulse until thoroughly incorporated.

NOTE: Toast the pecan halves in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Cool completely before using.

From satsumas to pomelos, citrus fruits brighten up every winter fruit bowl and don't need to be limited to snacking. Try squeezing the vivid juice from a blood orange and mixing it with bourbon, Campari and vermouth for a Boulevardier-inspired cocktail (which is Negroni-inspired, which is to say that everything is inspired by something). Or think of citrus via a savory lens and combine slices of ripe, sweet orange with spicy, crunchy radishes, chopped olives and a simple dressing of vinegar and olive oil. A thinly sliced red onion soaked in vinegar wouldn't be unwelcome here.

Or lean into the sweetness of citrus and combine fresh juice (and some zest if you'd like, too) with sugar to make a simple syrup that your pour over a warm pound cake that you've poked a bunch of holes into. Let the syrup soak all the way through the cake while it cools and enjoy with a cup of hot tea or a bitter espresso.

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Blood Orange and Bourbon Boulevardier

1 serving

Basically a Negroni made with whiskey instead of gin, a Boulevardier is just as simple to make, because it uses equal parts of each liquid component.

With a splash of blood orange juice and bourbon, it makes for the perfect winter drink.

Ingredients

1 ounce fresh blood orange juice

1 ounce Campari

1 ounce bourbon

1 ounce sweet vermouth

A few dashes Angostura bitters

Ice

Steps

Stir together the orange juice, Campari, bourbon, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass.

Fill a highball glass to the top with ice, and then pour in the orange juice mixture. Serve right away.

Make your favorite pound cake in a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. While it's baking, combine the sugar and citrus juice in a small saucepan, along with some finely grated zest (to taste) from whichever fruit you juiced, if desired. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, and then stir until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat and let the syrup steep.

While the pound cake is still warm and in its pan, use a skewer to poke holes all over the top, and then evenly drizzle the syrup over the cake. Cool completely before taking it out of its pan, slicing and serving.

Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.

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Finally, I want to remind you that winter kitchens aren't dictated by produce. Rich cuts of meat such as chuck roast, which is as marbled with delicious fat as it is affordable, need nothing but time to become tender.

For the easiest and least-boring one-pot meal I know, brown the roast in a pot, add an entire jar of kimchi and let the mixture cook in the oven for a bit until it's on its way to soft. Then add some sweet potatoes and allow it to arrive at its sublime destination, where the kimchi's bite totally surrenders into the sweet potatoes. For an alternative, combine the browned roast with an umami-heavy mixture of tomato paste, mustard, raisins and olives. The result is a vaguely Cuban-inspired, sweet-and-sour mixture that is addictively good.

Or skip the browning and the oven and let the chuck roast simmer gently on the stove top with root vegetables for pot au feu. Serve with something to cut the richness, such as prepared horseradish mixed with sour cream, or just a jar of mustard, or even a simple parsley salsa verde. Better yet, put each of them on the table and let everyone adorn their dinner to their liking.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over high heat. As soon as the oil shimmers (before it starts to smoke), add the roast and sear for about 15 minutes total, turning to brown it on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the kimchi, along with its juices, and the broth or water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat and nestle the roast back into the pot. Cover and transfer to the oven; slow-roast (middle rack) for 1 1/2 hours.

Uncover the pot, turn the meat over and add the sweet potatoes around the sides. Re-cover and return to the oven; slow-roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until the sweet potatoes and the beef are very tender.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board. Cut it (against the grain) into 1-inch-thick slices. Serve warm, with the sweet potatoes and kimchi sauce.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over high heat. As soon as the oil shimmers (before it starts to smoke), add the roast and sear for about 15 minutes total, turning to brown it on all sides.

Meanwhile, whisk together the broth or water, tomato paste, mustard and cumin in a liquid measuring cup.

Once the beef has browned all over, pour the broth mixture into the pot, and then scatter the raisins and olives over the meat. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven to slow-roast (middle rack) for about 3 hours, or until the meat is wonderfully tender; uncover and turn over the roast halfway through cooking and re-cover.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and cut into slices (against the grain). Season the cooking juices in the pot lightly with salt; serve the meat warm, with the cooking juices.

This is a stripped-down version of the traditional and humble French beef stew, and it yields a lighter sauce as well.

We are showing it here with a quick salsa verde, one of the optional serving accompaniments.

Ingredients

For the pot au feu

One 2-pound boneless chuck roast

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups water, or more as needed

2 carrots, trimmed and scrubbed well, then cut into 2-inch chunks

2 parsnips, trimmed and peeled, and then cut into 2-inch chunks

2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 medium yellow onion, cut into quarters

For serving (optional)

Sour cream

Prepared white horseradish

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 handfuls fresh parsley leaves

1 clove garlic, minced

Steps

For the pot au feu: Place the roast in a large, heavy pot and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and cook (uncovered) for 20 minutes, turning the meat over once and skimming any foam on the surface.

Cover and cook gently for 2 hours, uncovering the pot now and then to turn the meat (add a splash of water if the liquid has almost evaporated). At the 2-hour mark, add the carrots, parsnips, celery and onion. Cover once again and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the beef and vegetables are very tender.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board; cut it into thick pieces. Divide them and the vegetables among individual wide, shallow bowls. Season the cooking liquid lightly with salt and then ladle it over the portions of beef.

For serving, if desired: A horseradish sauce made of equal parts sour cream and prepared horseradish seasoned lightly with salt and pepper, or just put jars of prepared horseradish and sharp mustard on the table. For the salsa verde, stir together the Dijon mustard, vinegar and oil in a medium bowl, then add the parsley and garlic. Taste and season lightly with salt, as needed.